Strike Witches: Heros' Return: Lynette's Story
by XDrakePhoenixX
Summary: Not sure what to say for this. It's about Lynne and Yoshika, and their relationship, with the main focus on Lynne. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**STRIKE WITCHES: HEROS' RETURN: LYNETTE'S STORY**

**Chapter One**

Lynette Bishop was abruptly woken by the sound of the morning horn. She looked over to see her best friend, Yoshika Miyafuji, fall out of bed. "Careful Yoshika," Lynne said, helping her up. "Thanks," she said, her head only coming up to Lynne's chin.

"Good morning you two," Emily Holt said, stretching on her own bed. She was the only one not surprised by the horn, having lived on the base for over a year. Her brother and the Marshal of the Strike Witches, Drake Holt, had relented after a week of Emily's pestering. He then let her share the room with Yoshika and Lynne.

"Good morning," Lynne and Yoshika said in unison. Emily looked at them mischievously. "Did I miss any fun?" she said, smirking. Yoshika jumped away from Lynne as if she was a live wire, shaking her head furiously.

"It wasn't anything like that at all!" Yoshika stammered, blushing beet red.

"I was just helping her up," Lynne said quietly, blushing herself. Emily just laughed. "I'm only messing with you two, relax," she said, jumping off her bed. Lynne relaxed, yet Yoshika still seemed frazzled. _That's strange_, Lynne thought. She shrugged it off, as the three of them got dressed.

* * *

It had been a month since Lynette received the summons from Drake Holt. She was in Gallia at the time, helping the restoration progress go smoothly along with her friend Perrine Clostermann. The two were surprised that the 501st was being reunited once more, and made haste to the United States of Liberion. Sure enough, the country was engulfed in war. Lynne and Perrine had to skirt around the Capitol to avoid the Neuroi core there. Same with San Francisco. They finally arrived at Pearl Harbor, to find the one person they _last _expected to be there. Yoshika Miyafuji. Lynne was beyond happy that her best friend was there, and equally happy that Yoshika had her magic back. Since then they have been retraining themselves and training the many new recruits of Liberion.

"Ten laps on the track, now! And going up and down the track counts as _one_ lap, not two!" Sakamoto shouted, giving the witches their warmup. They groaned, until Sakamoto gave them the evil eye, at which they began to run. Three weeks had gone by, and the 501st was relatively back in shape. Dealing with the new Liberion recruits, that was something they were not yet used to.

"Come on, it's not that much further," Lynne said to a young witch she was running next to.

"Yeah, to you! I've never had to run this far!" the witch complained.

"It was hard for me too when I started, but it gets easier," Lynne said. The witch gave her a disbelieving look and ran ahead, making it clear that she didn't want to talk anymore. Lynne felt a bit dejected, until she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"These new witches are something else, huh?" Yoshika said, coming up beside her. Lynne nodded.

"They're probably not used to having their homeland attacked, much like you froze up when we were defending _your_ homeland," the Fuso girl mused.

"I just don't know how I can deal with it. You're so much better at it than I am," Lynne said sadly.

"That's not true! You just need to have more confidence in yourself Lynne-chan! You're smart, you're a great shot, you're a good friend, you're beautiful..." Yoshika said trailing off, a blush blossoming on her cheeks.

"Aw, thanks Yoshika!" Lynne said, oblivious to Yoshika's embarrassment. Yoshika smiled, still blushing. They continued on, giving each other strength. Together they managed to make it through Sakamoto's morning training. Lynne then joined Yoshika after lunch as she went through training with the Shinden-kai. "Good to have a volunteer, thanks Bishop," Drake said. With the Shinden-kai, Yoshika was much faster than Lynne, but the Fuso girl kept pace with her friend. Drake, realizing that it would be impossible to separate the two for any reason, made use of the situation. He had them fly in formation, starting from the basics all the way to advanced maneuvers. Yoshika, being lower rank than Lynne, would mostly fly behind her and act as her wingman. Halfway through, Drake switched them, having Yoshika lead and Lynne follow. By the end of it they were exhausted.

"What time is it?" Lynne gasped, collapsing on the ground.

"I don't know," Yoshika replied, falling next to Lynne. Drake looked at them, half sympathetic, half annoyed at their lack of endurance. "It's almost dinnertime. Rest for a moment, then put your strikers away and head for the dining hall. You both have target practice after that," he said. Lynne and Yoshika suppressed groans as they acknowledged him.

Emily joined them in the dining hall, making dinner more lively and entertaining. She balanced a spoon on her nose and made a face out of her pasta, then made an imprint of her _own_ face in the sauce, much to the amusement of everyone around her. The three walked together to the shooting range, where Drake and Sakamoto awaited them. "Em, what is all over your face?" Drake asked, alarmed. Emily laughed. "It's just pasta sauce," she said, plucking her brother's handkerchief from his pocket and using it to remove the remains of dinner's antics. "Get your own handkerchief!" he said incredulously, though he made no move to retrieve it. At that point Sakamoto cleared her throat, and Emily gave back the cloth.

"Right then. Yoshika, you're up first," Drake said, handing her gun to her. Yoshika was never a fan of guns, or war in general, but she held it diligently and aimed at the targets. Opening fire, her gun belched out several rounds a second, peppering the target with small holes. Drake nodded approvingly. "Next!"

Emily took her place and used her assault rifle on the target. By the time she was done, the target was ripped to shreds. "Lynne, you're next," Sakamoto said. Lynne lay on her belly in front of her gun, an anti-tank sniper rifle. She put her eye to the gun-sight, and aimed carefully. Once the target was firmly in her sights, she breathed in and placed a finger on the trigger. Just as she was about to pull it however, a shrill yell came from the distance. Lynne jumped, and in doing so pulled the trigger. She missed, and the bullet hurtled clear out of the shooting range. "Don't let outside distractions control you Bishop. Clear your mind," Drake said, perhaps a bit too harshly.

"I'm sorry," Lynne said quietly. She reloaded the gun, and aimed again. But the noise had thrown her off, and she missed again. Five more times she tried, and five more times she missed, until Drake called in end to their test.

"You did good, but you need to work on your focus Bishop," Drake said.

"Yes sir," Lynne said sadly. Emily looked at her with concern.

* * *

"What happened Lynne?" Emily asked later that night, as they were getting ready for bed.

"I don't know. One moment I was fine, the next when that shrill cry came out, I was scattered. I couldn't pull my thoughts together. Drake didn't seem too happy with me," Lynne replied. Emily shook her head.

"Don't be scared of my brother. He may be harsh at times, believe me. He made my initial training hell. But he only does that because he cares. He wants to make sure you're safe," she said.

"I wish I was more like Yoshika. She's so talented and outgoing," Lynne said.

"Don't shortchange yourself! If you weren't worthy of being in the Strike Witches, Drake would have sent you home. Besides, Yoshika says the same about you," Emily told her. Lynne looked up. "Really? Yoshika wants to be like me? Why?"

"Easy. You're a great friend, first and foremost. You're also a great shot, a good cook, well mannered. You're like a big sister, at least to me. Yoshika feels just as close... though her feelings aren't exactly 'sisterly'," Emily said.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell her I said this, but Yoshika's got it sweet for you. Oh my god, you two would be so cute together!" Emily explained, now giggling. Lynne blushed as a small smile crept on her lips.

"She likes me?" she asked, pulling at her dirty blond braid. Emily nodded.

"What do I do?"

"I don't know. I've never had a chance to meet many witches before, and all the guys are too afraid of my brother to make a move on me. Go figure. Anyway, my advice is to find out if you like her back. The rest should be obvious," Emily mused. Lynne nodded. Did she like Yoshika that way? She certainly admired her, that much was certain. But she couldn't tell if she felt attracted to her. Emily laughed softly. "You don't have to figure it out _now_, take your time. I doubt Yoshika will change her affections," she said, reassuring Lynne. Just then, Yoshika walked in.

"What did I miss?" she asked, climbing into her bed. Emily and Lynne looked at each other. "Nothing," they said in unison. Yoshika looked at them curiously.

"We were just gossiping about how much of a dork my brother is," Emily said wryly.

"I wouldn't say he's _that_ bad," Yoshika replied. Emily grinned mischievously. "Don't tell me you _like _him? Ew!" she said, laughing.

"Not like that!" Yoshika said, blushing despite the fact that what she said was true. Both Lynne and Emily knew Yoshika thought of Drake as nothing more than a good friend. Emily and Yoshika continued their bantering until they grew tired, while Lynne mused over what Emily had said earlier, before falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning was much the same as before: Lynne and Yoshika would be startled by the morning horn, they hurried through breakfast only to suffer through training. This time they were doing flight formations. Lynne was Perrine's wingman, since Yoshika and Emily were paired together. To Lynne's relief and delight however, Lynne's element and Yoshika's element were paired together to make a flight. "Miss Clostermann, you're leading this flight. Impress me," Drake said over the radio.

"Roger," Perrine replied. "Finger four formation!" she called out to Lynne, Yoshika, and Emily. They complied, falling into formation. They went through Drake's instructions, following them to the letter. As they were doing this, Lynne couldn't help but look at Yoshika in a new light. She noticed that the Fuso girl would often steal looks at her, before looking away blushing. Lynne laughed softly, though she found herself blushing too. "Bishop! Yoshika! Eyes up front!" Drake barked, breaking their distraction.

"Yes sir!" they said, resuming their training. They continued, and were soon joined by several other formations as Drake put them through large-scale formations. By the time he was done with them, everyone was tired and grumbling.

* * *

"This feels so good!" Yoshika said, when they were in the bath. Lynne agreed. A bath after intense training felt so relaxing. "You can say that again," Emily replied before sinking below the water. Before either Yoshika or Lynne could get worried however, she popped up behind Yoshika, spooking her.

"Would you two behave? This is bath time, not play time!" Perrine snapped, sitting alone. Emily grinned mischievously and grabbed a bucket. She then filled it with soapy water, and promptly dumped it on Perrine's head. She sputtered and coughed, and when the deluge was over, she looked at Emily with a look of pure disbelief and indignity.

"What the hell did you do that for!?" she screamed. Emily shrugged. "It was fun," she said. Perrine was speechless, her mouth opening and closing as she turned red with anger.

"Relax, I'm just having fun," Emily said.

"Oh really?" Perrine said, picking up the bucket, "then I suppose you won't mind me doing THIS!" and she dumped the bucket on Emily's head. The redhead simply laughed and nodded. Perrine threw her hands up in disbelief and stormed off. Yoshika laughed quietly, while Lynne smiled at how ridiculous the situation was.

Lynne noticed as they continued bathing, that Yoshika would often steal looks at her, blushing all the while. Feeling slightly shy, Lynne blushed, sinking further into the water. To distract herself, she turned to Emily.

"What are we doing after this Emily?" she asked. The girl looked at her lazily. "Lunch. Then more formation flying. Drake seems to think we need improvement," she replied, playing with a fiery-red lock of hair.

"I think we did pretty good," Yoshika said, frowning. Emily laughed.

"Your definition of pretty good is different from my brother's. He's such a perfectionist," she said. Lynne relaxed as Yoshika and Emily conversed. She would have been happy to join in, but felt too shy to. It was only when Yoshika asked "What do you think Lynne-chan?" that Lynne entered the conversation.

"What? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Lynne said.

"What do you think about having all of the 501st use jet strikers?" Yoshika repeated. Lynne thought about it.

"I'm not sure. You seem fine when flying yours, but when Barkhorn tried a jet striker, she almost died," she said.

"True, but the one Barkhorn used was a prototype. A company here in Liberion, Lockheed, made a new striker unit that has been tested and approved for combat. It's the P-80 Shooting Star. Lockheed offered some to the base, but Drake denied them. I think he's afraid they are unreliable," Emily said.

"What if they are?" Lynne asked.

"I doubt they are that dangerous. Yoshika has the Shinden-kai, which is experimental. She works on it fine. The P-80 is not a prototype, and consumes less then the Shinden-kai. It should be safe," Emily answered.

"_Should_ be," Yoshika said.

"Oh hush."

* * *

True to Emily's prediction, Drake had them formation flying again. He was relentless in his drills, giving them increasingly difficult formations to fly.

"Drake, you're killing us out here!" Emily whined through her earpiece.

"Practice makes perfect Em," Drake replied. Just then, the base's sirens went off. "You know the drill ladies." Lynne followed Perrine as she and the rest of her flight headed in the direction they were given. "Lynne, cover my back," Perrine said.

"Yes ma'am," Lynne replied. She tried to clear her mind as they neared the Neuroi, now a black speck in the sky. Though she wasn't as rattled as she was during training, she had a hard time pulling her thoughts together. Suddenly, a calm settled over her mind, as if something was pushing out all the bad thoughts and emotions.

"It'll be okay Lynne, just relax," Emily said. Lynne realized that Emily was working her magic, using her control over emotions to soothe her mind. "Thanks Emily," Lynne said. Emily smiled. They continued on, the Neuroi getting bigger as they drew closer. When they were within a mile of it, they saw it was a large-type Neuroi, and it was alone. It looked like a long plane with propellers on the nose and the tail.

When the witches were in range, the Neuroi fired off its beams, though none of them made their mark. Yoshika and Emily dived in, drawing the Neuroi's fire. Perrine sat at midrange and fired off her gun. Lynne aimed carefully and fired. This time, her round hit dead center. A shower of white fragments exploded from the impact point. However, there was no core beneath, and the wound healed itself. Lynne tried to raise her shield against the alien's retaliation, but Yoshika beat her to it, her massive shield protecting both of them. "Thanks Yoshika," Lynne said. Yoshika smiled before diving back in. Their radios crackled to life. It was Drake.

"The other witches are on standby Miss Clostermann. Should I send them in, or do you think your team can handle this one?" he asked, a hint of a challenge in his voice.

"Negative Marshal, we can handle it," Perrine replied.

"Good. Keep it away from the base. If it comes within fifty miles, Major Grandone's flight will take it from there," Drake said, cutting off the transmission. _Why is he so hard on Perrine?_ Lynne wondered silently. Then Drake's voice echoed inside her head.

_Because I have little patience for those who see themselves above the common person. Other than that I have no problem with Miss Clostermann. But that's not important. Focus on your target Bishop, and hit it. Hopefully you won't have any recruits scaring you this time. Good luck,_ he said, before his presence in her head faded. Lynne cleared her mind, and focused on the Neuroi. Her next several shots were deadly accurate, and the last one grazed the core.

"There! I found the core!" Lynne shouted, pointing. Perrine, Yoshika, and Emily converged on the core, showering it with bullets. It exploded, white fragments shooting everywhere. They all raised their shields to avoid getting cut by the more dangerous ones.

"The Neuroi has been destroyed, returning to base," Perrine said. Yoshika, Lynne, and Emily followed her, relieved the Neuroi threat was gone, at least for now. They returned to base, and went to relax. Drake's rule: If you shoot down a Neuroi, you are free for the rest of the day to do as you wish. Lynne excused herself and quietly made her way to Eila's room. She opened the door to find Eila lying on her bed, playing with her tarot cards. Sanya was fast asleep. Eila looked up and noticed Lynne.

"Lynne? What do you want?" she asked quietly.

"I... uhm..." Lynne stuttered, suddenly feeling shy.

"Spit it out, I haven't got all day."

"Could you read my fortune with Yoshika?" Eila looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I think Yoshika likes me and I want to know if it's true," Lynne said, now blushing. Eila started to laugh, but seeing Lynne about to leave, she stopped. "Sit down," she said, gathering her tarot cards. Lynne sat in front of her and watched as Eila shuffled her deck, then cut it and spread it. "You are asking a yes/no question, so the answer won't be very detailed. In order to find out more, you'd have to ask more, _and_ you'd have to get Miyafuji to do the same thing," Eila explained. Lynne nodded. She took a random card from the spread and flipped it over. It was the Lover's card. Eila grinned. "I don't think I have to translate this one. She loves you, without a doubt. Doesn't really surprise me, the way she goggles you. Question is, do you love her?" she said. Lynne blushed deeply.

"I-I don't know," she replied. Eila huffed.

"Well, don't leave her hanging! Make up your mind. You won't have forever," she said.

"I know... but what would my parents think?" Lynne asked.

"I wouldn't know. I don't know your parents."

"They'd want me to marry a lawyer, or a doctor... a man."

"Ah, I see. I don't know what to tell you then. If it were me I'd go for it, doesn't matter what other people think. Besides, isn't Miyafuji gonna run her family clinic after the war?" Eila said, flopping on the bed. "Do you like her?" she repeated, after a minute of silence. Lynne was silent for several more minutes.

"She's been my friend for a few years now... no matter how much I mess up or fail, she always there for me. She's sweet, she's kind... Yes... Yes. I do like her back," Lynne said.

"Then go tell her," Eila said.

"I think I will, thanks Eila!"

"Don't mention it."


	2. Chapter 2

**STRIKE WITCHES: HEROS' RETURN: LYNETTE'S STORY**

**Chapter Two**

"Yoshika!" Lynne called out, running across the base. She ran headlong into Barkhorn, who wasn't too happy to be crashed into. "What do you think you're doing!? You can't run in the corridors, for this exact reason!" she snapped, standing up.

"Sorry ma'am. Do you know where Yoshika is?" Lynne asked.

"Drake's office. She's having an important meeting with him. Why?" Before Barkhorn was finished, Lynne dashed towards the Marshal's office. "Hey wait!"

* * *

"I think I have made some progress with these texts, and I wanted to teach you what I know so we can translate them together," Drake said to Yoshika, as they were sitting in his office. Suddenly the door burst open and Lynne came in, out of breath. Drake scowled. "Ever heard of knocking? This is a private meeting Bishop," he said. Yoshika stood up and faced her friend. "What's wrong Lynne-chan?"

Ignoring Drake, Lynne seized Yoshika and pressed their lips together. Yoshika's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, then rolled back as her body went limp. Lynne parted to see Yoshika was out cold, a blissful smile on her lips.

"Medic! Get some smelling salts!" Drake said through the intercom. He then turned to Lynne. "Is there something I should know?" Lynne blushed and sheepishly shied away, still holding Yoshika. Her adrenaline was now gone.

"Sorry sir, it's a bit of long story..." she murmured.

"Seeming as how you knocked out the person I was talking to, I don't have much else to do. Spill." Lynne was nervous at first, but then she spotted a hint of a smile on Drake's lips. She explained everything to him: her talk with Emily, her reading with Eila, and everything else about her and Yoshika. As Lynne's story came to an end, a nurse came in with a bottle of smelling salts, which he brought to Yoshika's nose. She inhaled sharply and her eyes fluttered open. Before Lynne could move, Drake said, "Don't kiss her! Wait until I'm done with her before you knock her out again." Yoshika looked at him curiously.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Bishop here barged in and kissed you out of the blue, and you fainted. She can explain the rest," Drake said.

"Wha?" Yoshika said, looking up at Lynne in wonder. Lynne felt faint herself, but steeled herself. "I love you Yoshika," she said simply. Yoshika looked at her in shock and elation for several minutes, before Lynne started to worry she had fainted again. Drake shook his head irritably and snapped his fingers loudly, shaking Yoshika from her stupor. The Fuso girl smiled broadly and pulled Lynne into a second kiss.

"Really? Get a room! One that isn't mine!" Drake said, exasperated. Lynne and Yoshika parted, laughing. "I think I'm okay sir," Yoshika said. She couldn't keep herself from beaming. "Good. Now, Bishop. Out." Yoshika shook her head. "I want her here, maybe she can help." Drake sighed. "Fine."

* * *

Drake tried his best to explain the Egyptian hieroglyphs and Fuso texts to Yoshika and Lynne, but after ten minutes he knew he had lost their attention. "Go," he said, "We'll continue this when you two are less distracted." Lynne and Yoshika excused themselves and ran off, holding hands. Emily walked in as they left. "About time," she said, sitting across from her brother. He grumbled.

"They could have at least waited until I was done talking to Yoshika," he said.

"Oh relax already! Aren't they cute together?"

"Yeah, but that's not my concern. What _is_ my concern is figuring out these texts. We don't have time for flirting or fraternizing. You know that." Emily laughed.

"Let them be, it'll be good for them. It was bound to happen anyway. Besides, remember what you were like when you asked April out?" she said. Drake smiled, then grimaced at the thought of his dead lover. "I suppose so. Can't say I was any better back then. Well, there is nothing I can do now. I'll let them go through their honeymoon phase, then it's back to work."

* * *

Lynne and Yoshika spent the rest of the day together, oblivious to the world. They held hands and kissed, and both of them were beyond happy. Emily gave them space, letting them have their time alone together. They would have shared a bed together that night if Drake had not forbidden them to.

The next morning, Lynne and Yoshika woke before the morning horn, sneaking out to watch the sunrise together.

"It's really beautiful, isn't it?" Lynne said, as the sun peeked over the horizon.

"Yeah. Hawaii is really a nice place. A part of me wishes we could stay here forever," Yoshika replied, resting her head on Lynne's shoulder. They sat together a moment longer before they heard the horn in the distance. Rushing back to their room, they got dressed. Just as they finished, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Emily said. Drake poked his head in.

"You three, get your best clothes ready, I'm bringing you with me to a war meeting," he said.

"War meeting? Ugh, sounds boring," Emily replied. Drake scowled.

"As boring as it may be, it is important. The leaders of Suomus, Fuso, Orussia, Liberion, Karlsland, Gallia, Britannia, and Romagna will be here, and I want all of the 501st to be with me for my report. Make sure you are on your best behavior," he said.

"Yes sir," Emily said mockingly. Drake's frown deepened. "Relax brother, I'm messing with you. We'll do our best," Emily replied.

"Good. Be at my office by ten. Don't be late," Drake said, before closing the door. Emily stretched and got up, having slept through the horn. "I wonder what the meeting will be about?" Yoshika wondered.

"Drake will probably give an update on what's happened, particularly with the 501st, seeming as how our homeland leaders will be there," Emily said.

"I hope we don't do anything wrong," Lynne said. Emily laughed.

"Don't worry, so long as we behave, Drake will be able to keep everyone in line. Remember: he outranks all of them when it comes to leading the strike witches."

* * *

At ten everyone gathered into Drake's office. The leaders Drake had mentioned were already there. Even though the office was quite large, it took a while for everyone to get situated.

"Why must we sit in this cramped office of yours, Marshal?" one of the leaders asked irritably.

"Because this is the most private area in the base, and no word of this meeting may leave this room," Drake said. He then turned his attention to the 501st. "Thank you for coming." Minna nodded in acknowledgment.

"Now, I have called you all here for several important matters. The first being the Neuroi activity here in Liberion. I need to know who can provide resources and how much," Drake said. Karlsland's leader Frederick IV cleared his throat.

"Because of the hive that continues to remain in Berlin, Karlsland cannot afford to lend any more witches to your war effort, Marshal Holt. However, our technology and the witches already under your command are at your disposal," he said, his voice thickly accented.

"Thank you, Emperor," Drake replied.

"The Fuso Empire will offer what they can to liberate Liberion, Marshal," Emperor Hirohito spoke out. Drake nodded. Many of the other leaders replied likewise, though most were in the same position as Karlsland: the threat of Neuroi on their own land was too great to offer much support.

"The next thing we need to address is the fact that the Neuroi seem to be growing more intelligent. Since the arrival of the Neuroi in Liberion, they have been attacking in greater numbers. Before they used to just attack one by one. This is disconcerting, given the power of just one Neuroi. If they are advancing in tactics and strategy, then we must do the same. My first order of business was to reunite the 501st Joint Fighter Wing."

"Pardon me, but who gave you clearance to do so? You cannot simply gather witches at random and pull them from their given stations," Emperor Frederick said.

"As Marshal of the Strike Witches, I have clearance to reinstate, disband, or do whatever I like, Emperor," Drake replied. Mollified, the emperor said no more. Churchill cleared his throat.

"I do no question your motives or actions Marshal, but I am told you spent over a month doing nothing but restoring the magic of one witch. If it were me, I wouldn't have wasted precious time on one witch. Especially a sergeant at that," he said. Yoshika stood up to speak for herself, but before she could speak, Drake fixed her with a stare that forced her back down.

"If it were any other witch, I would agree with you Prime Minister. However this particular witch was none other than Flight Sergeant Yoshika Miyafuji, daughter of the late Dr. Miyafuji. Her magic is far more powerful than any other witch's. On top of that, she was the one responsible for the destruction of the Gallia hive, _and _the one in Romagna as well," Drake growled.

"I am with the Marshal on this one. The Miyafuji bloodline has always produced exceedingly powerful witches. They are the only witches that we know of that keep their powers beyond twenty years old," Hirohito said, defensive of his own people. Churchill nodded, realizing he had overstepped his bounds.

"Is there anyone else who has doubts about my actions with the 501st?" Drake said, impatience clear in his voice.

"Isn't true that Flight Sergeant Miyafuji disobeyed direct orders before? I would not think it wise to place our faith in her because of that," Frederick said. Yoshika stood again, enraged.

"I only disobeyed orders because that Neuroi was trying to talk to me! If I hadn't made contact with that Neuroi, Maloney's plans to use Neuroi technology would have never been uncovered!" she shouted.

"MIYAFUJI! Sit. Down," Drake said, slamming his fist on his desk. With difficulty, Yoshika did as she was told. Lynne held her hand to calm her down.

"As it so happens, Sergeant Miyafuji answered your question quite well, even if she was out of line. She also brings up something else I wanted to discuss. The humanoid Neuroi. There have been several sightings of these Neuroi. One by Miyafuji, and she has so far been the only one to make actual contact. Some witches in Romagna also tried to make contact with a similar Neuroi, with disastrous results. We don't know the motives of these Neuroi. All we know is that they seem to be non-hostile. Does anyone have any thoughts on them?" The room remained silent. Then, Sanya stood up, shy but determined. "Yes Miss Litvyak?"

"I do not know if this relates to anything, but during our campaign in Britannia a Neuroi was mimicking me in a similar way. Though it was hostile, it mirrored my actions, and my song. Maybe they are trying to tell us something?" she said, before sitting back down. A murmur of agreement echoed around the room.

"You may be right Litvyak. Although we cannot understand them, and therefore cannot understand their motives, it is clear that at least some Neuroi are trying to communicate with us. That being said, I'm designating all witch-like Neuroi as neutral. They are not to be shot at unless they open fire first. Is that understood?" Drake said. This time a clamor of disapproval made the rounds. Drake let them squabble for a minute before raising his hand for silence.

"I do not make this decision lightly. I harbor no love for the Neuroi, no matter what form they come in. Even if these witch-like Neuroi _are_ friendly, I would never trust them any farther than I could throw them. However, Miyafuji has proved that peaceful communication _can_ happen. We need every edge we can get on the Neuroi in this war, and if allying ourselves with a friendly faction of those aliens give us an advantage, we'd be fools not to take it," Drake said.

"What is your upcoming plan for the war, Marshal?" Suomus's leader asked. Drake faced him.

"We gather as many witches as we can here, fortify our position. When our power has become sufficient enough, we assault the core in San Francisco. From there, we fortify again so we don't lose what we gained. We then repeat the process for Anchorage, and then the Capitol. Once the war in Liberion is over, we will muster to Orussia. From there we will begin the liberation of Eurasia," he explained.

"A lofty goal indeed. Do you believe such a plan is possible?"

"There is nothing a witch cannot do. Especially the witches of the 501st. With them on our side, victory is a matter of _when_, not _if_," Drake replied.

"Do you believe you are up to the task, considering the death of your partner, Commander April Thatch?" Drake closed his eyes in pain, and his next words were drawn out carefully and slowly.

"April was a dedicated soldier, and strived for peace in this world. I will not allow my own pain - however strong it may be - to get in the way of achieving that peace. If anyone has anything else to say about my personal life, you may leave now," he said, his voice deadly quiet. No one rose to the challenge.

The meeting continued on.

* * *

"Do you really mean what you said? About us?" Lynne asked Drake, after everyone else had left. Only Drake, Lynne, Emily, Perrine, and Yoshika remained. Drake nodded.

"All of you in the 501st are the best of the best. I may push you harder than the recruits, but I don't have as much faith in them as I do you. Before I came, you were the Strike Witches, the aces of the world. When I'm done with you, you'll be legends," he said.

"Wow," Yoshika said.

"No pressure then?" Emily asked. Drake laughed.

"You all did good today. Yoshika, I wish you hadn't spoke out like that, but in the end it turned out for the better. Now, I need to discuss something with you four. Since you all are usually in a flight together, it has come to my attention that some adjustments need to be made. Lynne, Perrine, Emily, I have ordered jet strikers for the three of you, so you will be on par with Yoshika. The models are _not_ prototypes. They have been thoroughly tested and are ready for regular use. Emily, you get the P-80 Shooting Star. Perrine, since Gallia has yet to make a jet striker, you will be getting the same model as Lynne: the Gloster Meteor. They should work fine for all three of you. However if you have _any_ problems with them, bring them to me immediately. Understood?" Lynne, Perrine, and Emily nodded.

"Good. Dismissed."

* * *

The next day, Yoshika, Lynne, Perrine, and Emily made their way to the hangar, where Drake had told them their new strikers were waiting for them. Four strikers were mounted on support units, ready to take off. The first was Yoshika's Shinden-kai. The second was the P-80 Shooting Star. It was a very sleek design, the engines smoothly nestled on the outer sides of the unit. Where propellers would be were the engine exhausts. The third and fourth were the Gloster Meteor. They were similar in shape to the Me-262.

"So these are the jet strikers?" Lynne asked. Drake nodded.

"Yes. With these you should be on par with Yoshika as you were before she began using the Shinden-kai," he said.

"Let's go fly!" Emily said excitedly, rushing to her striker. She was halfway there before Drake seized the back of her shirt and lifted her, rendering her immobile. "Not so fast," he said, letting her go. "One step at a time Em. We go slowly with this." Emily smirked and started running in slow motion. Drake aimed a kick at her. She simply stuck out her tongue and said "You wouldn't dare."

Drake smiled and put his foot down. "Okay. Time to get serious."

* * *

Drake gave them several tests on their performance in the jet strikers, and by the end of it, they were out of energy.

"Not bad. Seems the strikers pass. Oh, and you all pass too," Drake said.

* * *

Later in the evening, Drake summoned Lynne and Yoshika to his office to continue studying the texts. Without warning, they heard a knock on the door. "Come in," Drake said, putting away the texts. Yoshika and Lynne turned around to see...

"Mother? Father?"


	3. Chapter 3

**STRIKE WITCHES: HEROS' RETURN: LYNETTE'S STORY**

**Chapter Three**

Lynne's parents stood before them, tall and proud. "Who are you?" Drake asked.

"I am Sir William Bishop, and this is my wife, Minnie. We come to offer what we can to your endeavor through funding," Lynne's father said. Drake looked genuinely surprised.

"Bishop? As in the parents of Lynette Bishop?"

"The very same," Sir William said, then noticing his daughter. "Hello Lynette. I hope you have been doing well."

"Yes sir, I have," Lynne said quietly. Yoshika looked at her with concern. She seemed scared.

"Would you care to explain what kind of help you are offering, exactly?" Drake asked, drawing attention away from the unsettled witch.

"We would like to donate thirty-thousand pounds to the 501st, at least to start," Sir William replied. Drake's eyes widened.

"That's mighty generous of you. We could make good use of such money. However, I sense that is not the only reason you are here," he said. Lynne's father chuckled.

"You certainly live up to your reputation, Marshal. Your perception is remarkable. Yes, I do have other business here. However that is not for your ears, I'm afraid. My apologies." Drake's eyes narrowed.

"Very well, Sir William. Bear in mind however that your actions while on this base will be monitored day and night. I do not accuse you of any malicious intents, nor do I suspect you of such intents. However if you prove me wrong, I will have to ask you to leave," Drake warned. Sir William nodded. "So noted. You have nothing to fear Marshal."

"Good. Wait outside, someone will be with you shortly. I have pressing matters still to attend to with your daughter and Sergeant Miyafuji here, and they must be done in private. We will meet again soon," Drake said, dismissing Lynne's parents.

"Did you know they were coming?" Drake asked, after the door closed. Lynne shook her head, clearly disturbed. Yoshika held her close to comfort her.

"You needn't be too concerned Lynne, there are strict protocols for what civilians can do at a military base. Even ones as rich and powerful as your parents. I'll make sure they don't cause much of a disturbance," Drake said. Lynne nodded, still too shaken up to speak. After about five minutes of trying to get back to the texts, Drake realized it was not worth it. Lynne was too distressed and Yoshika was paying all her attention to Lynne.

"Go take a walk outside or something. You need to relax Lynne," Drake said gently. Lynne nodded and stood to leave.

"I'll be right with you," Yoshika told her, kissing her on the cheek. When Lynne left, Yoshika turned to Drake. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"Lynne's reaction? I have no idea. I can read minds, but not memories. Lynne was very afraid about something when her parents walked in. Particularly with her father. What it was I couldn't tell, her thoughts were too scattered. As for Mr. Bishop, he must know I can read minds. He kept his thoughts well under control, and wouldn't think about what he was hiding. I don't suspect him of doing anything malicious here, but I do think there is some friction between him and Lynne. Keep an eye on her, will you?" Drake said.

"Will do. I will protect her," Yoshika replied fiercely. Drake laughed.

"That's good. Lynne's lucky to have you. Now go, she's waiting for you."

* * *

Yoshika joined Lynne outside, and together they took a walk around the gardens, where they would be alone. Lynne was withdrawn, scared even.

"What's wrong Lynne?" Yoshika asked gently.

"I-I'm fine. It's nothing," Lynne said, failing at hiding her lie.

"You can tell me anything, I would never be mad at you," Yoshika said, stopping Lynne by standing in front of her. They locked eyes, Lynne's blue to Yoshika's brown. The blue eyes began to tear up. Suddenly, Lynne burst out crying, collapsing in Yoshika's arms. They sank slowly to the ground, and Yoshika held Lynne in her arms, rocking her gently. She cried for several minutes, until the tears would not come. Sniffling, she looked up at her partner. Love and concern burned in Yoshika's eyes, but so did strength.

"I'm... I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what my father will think when he discovers that we're together," Lynne said, choking back more sobs.

"What do you mean?"

"He... he wants me to marry a man. Someone from my class," Lynne replied. Yoshika tilted her head in confusion. "Class?"

"My family comes from a long line of Britannian nobles. My father has a lot of prestige and reputation, and would rather see me with a high-class lawyer or doctor than someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Yoshika repeated, furrowing her brow.

"Don't take that the wrong way! I love you, no matter what your social status is. That doesn't matter to me. But it _does_ matter to my father. He would never give us his blessing," Lynne said, falling once more into tears. Yoshika held her tight.

"It'll be okay Lynne, don't you worry. I'll protect you, and no one will be able to separate us," she said. There they fell asleep together among the flowers and under the night sky.

* * *

The next morning found Yoshika and Lynne fast asleep, until the morning horn blared. Having no walls to protect their ears, it was particularly jarring that morning. The two stayed together in each other's arms for several more moments, enjoying the sweet peace together, until they knew it was time to get moving. They rushed through the halls, only to bump into Lynne's parents.

"Good morning Lynette. Did you sleep well?" her father asked.

"Yes sir, I did," Lynne said shyly. Her father then turned to Yoshika. "And who's this?"

"I am Yoshika Miyafuji, Lynne's best friend," Yoshika said, offering her hand. Sir William shook it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Miyafuji. We've heard a lot about you from Lynette. All good, I assure you," Sir William said.

"Is it true your father was Dr. Miyafuji, who invented the striker units you witches use?" Minnie asked. Yoshika nodded.

"So you come from a family of scientists?" Sir William asked.

"Doctors. My mama and grandma run a clinic. I plan to take over the clinic when I graduate and the war is over," Yoshika replied.

"Impressive. You must have quite the education then."

"Uh... sort of," Yoshika said. Suddenly they heard someone clear their throat behind them. It was Drake.

"I understand if you want to become acquainted with your daughter's friend, however they have a tight schedule to run, and they cannot be distracted. I thought I made that clear last night," Drake said pointedly.

"It's okay Marshal, we were just about done here," Sir William said. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Yoshika," he said. Then he and his wife walked away.

"Thank you," Lynne said to Drake.

"No problem. Now as I said, you have a tight schedule to run, and you're already running late. Chop chop!"

* * *

Their morning drill was a mock battle, with Yoshika, Emily, Perrine, and Lynne against four recruits: Ashley, Katie, Margaret, and Susie. All four of them were fresh recruits.

"Take it easy on them, but don't be too soft. Build their confidence, but also remind them to take this seriously," Drake told Perrine and her group.

"Yes sir!" they said. Taking off, the eight of them climbed to five thousand feet before beginning. Their earpieces came to life.

"Alright, first off we'll have Perrine's group on the defensive, and Ashley's on offense. Begin!"

"This is the Thatch Weave, ladies," Perrine said. She paired up with Lynne, while Emily paired up with Yoshika. The two pairs then veered towards each other, as if they were going to crash. But they did not, passing by each other harmlessly.

The eight of them continued their mock battle, each flight switching roles between offense and defense. The recruits gave it their all, but in the end, Perrine's group was victorious.

* * *

"Yay! We won!" Yoshika said, hugging and kissing Lynne in midair.

"Congratulations girls, you won by-" Drake said. Suddenly he was cut off, and voices could be heard in the background. After a few minutes, they heard Drake's voice again.

"Lynette, Yoshika, return to base now," he said, his voice neutral. Yoshika and Lynne looked at each other in confusion, but did as they were told. They returned to the hangar and dismounted their strikers, to find Drake, Sakamoto, Minna, and Lynne's parents engaged in an argument.

"You _cannot_ just whisk her away without proper reason!" Drake was saying.

"And _you_ cannot tell me what I can or cannot do for my daughter!" Sir William yelled back.

"Saying that you disapprove of Lynne's relationship with Yoshika is not proper reason. She stays with the Strike Witches," Minna said, just as angry as Drake.

"Lynette is going to marry a man, a wealthy noble. Not some naive and crude country girl!" Sir William said. Yoshika bristled at that last comment. Emily was behind them, she burst her way through and stormed in front of Sir William, getting in his face. "You will _not_ talk about my friend like that! Yoshika is a much better choice for Lynne than any stuck up and prissy little bastard you found!" she shouted.

"Emily, stand down," Drake said, though his expression told that he agreed wholeheartedly.

"This conversation isn't for little girls, missy. This does not concern you," Sir William said cooly. Before Emily could retort, Drake pulled her back protectively.

"What's going on here!?" Yoshika asked. Lynne was afraid she already knew the answer.

"What's going on here, you ask? You should know, being the cause of all this!" Sir William said.

"What?"

"I will not allow my daughter to be with you anymore. She should not have been with someone like you in the first place. Say your goodbyes, you will never see her again!" Yoshika's face paled. Lynne stepped forward. "Father, please-"

"Enough! We will discuss this on the way home. Pack up your things, NOW." Lynne stood stock still for a moment. "Yes, sir," she said, then she rushed out of the hangar, crying. Yoshika tried to follow her, but Sir William blocked her.

"Sir, you cannot do that. You can't just pull a soldier out of the military like that," Drake said. Sir William turned to him.

"Who said I was pulling her out? She'll go back to her home squad, where she belongs," he snapped. Drake said nothing in reply, his face etched with resignation.

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Yoshika yelled at Drake, as Lynne's parents left.

"I'm sorry, but there is nothing more I can do. I cannot force Lynne to stay. Although she doesn't want to leave, she's not going to disobey her father. I'm so sorry Yoshika. My hands are tied," Drake said, leaving for his office. Yoshika collapsed on the floor in tears. Emily held her, crying herself.

* * *

The next morning was a mournful one. A transport plane had arrived to take Lynne and her parents away to Britannia. Drake insisted that some rations from the base were boarded for the trip. Yoshika stood at the end of the runway, as Lynne was reluctantly boarding the plane. She looked back for a split moment, before she was corralled into the plane by her mother, who seemed no more happy about it than her daughter was. "Lynne..." Yoshika whispered, tears trickling down her face.

_Yoshika..._ Lynne thought, the plane door shutting with a clang that shook her.

"I thank you for your hospitality while we were here, Marshal," Sir William said.

"Anytime, Sir William. You're flight will take you to Central Liberion, where the Neuroi do not pose a threat. From there you'll make a direct route to Britannia," Drake said through clenched teeth. Sir William boarded the plane, and it began to take off. As it was halfway down the runway, Yoshika dashed after it. "LYNNE!" she yelled desperately, sprinting as fast as she could. Lynne pressed herself against the back window of the plane. However the distance between the two lovers grew, and when the plane took off Yoshika fell, crying out more in loss than pain.

"Poor Yoshika," Emily said sadly. Drake walked slowly over to Yoshika and helped her up, comforting her. But nothing would soothe her. "No... NO!" Yoshika said. She then wrenched herself from Drake's hold, dashing for the hangar. "Yoshika, wait!" Drake said, running after her. Emily beat him to it, halting Yoshika in mid-stride.

"It'll be okay," Emily said, using her magic to calm her friend. Yoshika sobbed into Emily's shoulder. The tears eventually stopped, and the sobs turned into sniffles. "Why?" Yoshika wailed, gazing longingly at the tiny speck that was Lynne's plane. Emily was at a loss for words. There were none to be spoken.

* * *

The rest of the day went by at a painfully slow pace for everyone. Everyone was subdued at the loss of their comrade, but none were as hurt as Yoshika. She was normally the life and soul of the 501st, always looking at the bright side and having a positive attitude. Without Lynne however, she became withdrawn and depressed. Her performance in training suffered horribly, and during her private sessions with Drake, she payed little to no attention. She would often cry silently to herself, to the point where Drake knew it was no use trying any further.

"I truly am sorry Yoshika. I wish I could do something, but this is completely out of my jurisdiction. If it helps, I can relate. Losing April felt a lot like this," Drake said.

"I don't blame you," Yoshika whispered. "I blame myself. Lynne told me she was afraid of what would happen if her father found out, and I should have taken that as a warning. But I was careless. Now, she's gone forever," she continued, now shaking.

"I never assumed you blamed me. You are not at fault either. You should never have to hide your love for someone. The only person at fault here is Sir William. We can't do anything about that. However, maybe Lynne can."

* * *

Several days had passed since Lynne and her parents left Hawaii. They arrived at Panama, where the country connected the two great continents of North and South Liberion. They stopped at a local harbor to refuel and restock. Lynne was not allowed to leave her father's sight.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Lynne asked, tears running down her face. Her father's own expression was hard as stone, and unreadable.

"This is for your own good Lynette. That Miyafuji girl is a bad influence on you."

"How?! It's because of her I've grown as a witch! I'm more confident in myself, I'm happier! Don't you get it? _She _makes me happy!" Lynne shouted.

"None of that matters! A civilized lady such as yourself cannot be associated with a country bumpkin like her," her father said.

"She is NOT a country bumpkin!" Lynne snapped, her face flushed red.

"Do not raise your voice at me, young lady," her father warned. However Lynne had reached her breaking point.

"NO! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" she shouted. "I love Yoshika, and I'll be bloody damned if you keep her away from me! I don't want whatever stupid man you have arranged for me to marry, I won't do it. All my life you've taught me to mind my manners, to be a good little lady, and care for the family. But you never taught me how to be happy! I want to live life _my_ way. I still love you and Mother and all my brothers and sisters. But I love Yoshika too. She was my first true friend, and the first person to truly believe in me! _She_ is the reason why I can be happy! _She_ is the reason I can believe in myself. And _she_ will be the person I live my life with. I don't care what you think anymore. Punish me, disown me, I don't care! But I'm staying with Yoshika, and THAT'S FINAL!" Lynne shouted, her voice rising with each word.

"Lynette Bishop! You go too far. Get in the plane, NOW. You will not leave your seat until we are home in Britannia," her father growled. Lynne stood her ground.

"Make me."

* * *

In the end, Lynne could not overpower her father, and was forced into the cargo hold, where she was locked in. She banged on the door, but to no avail. The doors remained firmly shut. She sank against the door and cried, cursing herself for not acting soon enough. "Yoshika... I'm sorry..." she said. Soon after they were refueled, and they took off, flying over the Atlantic.

* * *

"Yoshika, can you help me with this? I'll give you a boost," Emily asked her friend. She was working on her strikers at Drake's orders, and could not reach the part she needed on a high shelf. "Sure," Yoshika said glumly, shuffling over. Emily put her on her shoulders and lifted her up. Yoshika gripped the fuse Emily was reaching for, and took it off the shelf. In doing so however, the two of them lost balance, and fell in a heap.

"Sorry," Yoshika said, her voice hollow.

"It's okay, it was an accident," Emily said, rubbing the part of her back she fell on.

The next several days saw similar instances happen. Drake was worried.

Then, one night, Yoshika awoke from a nightmare. She was in a cold sweat, and was scared. "I _have _to find her!" she said. Moving quietly, she snuck her way to the hangar, and strapping on her gun, mounted her striker. She then took off into the night sky, determined to find her Lynne. The next morning, Drake called Sakamoto and Minna to his office

"Yoshika is gone, and so is her striker. She must be off to find Lynne," he said.

"She may be reckless at times, but I doubt even she would do such a thing," Minna said. Sakamoto nodded in agreement. Then there came a knock on the door. It was Emily. "I found this on Yoshika's bed," she said in distress, handing a note to Drake.

_Dear Emily,_

_ I'm going away. I have to find Lynne. Please, don't show this to anyone, I don't want to be followed. This is something I must do alone. Goodbye, I hope we meet again._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Yoshika._

"This is really bad," Drake said.

"What do we do?"

"There is nothing we _can_ do. She's probably halfway there by now. We'll send a warning to Sir William, tell him he has a guest. Frankly, I'd rather not: I know how poor Yoshika feels," Drake said, reaching for the intercom. Before he could touch it, it crackled to life.

"Marshal, we just received a telegram from Cape Canaveral: Neuroi have been spotted offshore. They seem to be chasing something. The only thing that could be in range is the transport the Bishop family is on. Should we patch you through to the Cape, to contact the Bishops?"

"Do so at once."

* * *

"Do you think we're being a bit too harsh on her?" Minnie said to her husband, as the flew across the ocean.

"No. She will understand in time that this is what's best for her," Sir William said. Suddenly, the radio crackled to life.

"This is Marshal Drake Holt to Transport. I repeat: this is Marshal Drake Holt to Transport. Do you read me?"

"We read you loud and clear Marshal," the co-pilot said.

"Turn back now! A group of Neuroi has been reported heading in your direction! A flight of witches has been dispatched to your position, but you need to turn back now," Drake said over the radio.

"How do we know you're not just trying to stop us?" Sir William said, coming up behind the co-pilot. He could hear Drake growl in frustration.

"If I was going to stop you, I would have done so at the start. Turn back now!" The pilots began to turn the plane, but Sir William stopped them.

"Maintain present course," he said, shutting off the radio.

"But sir-"

"_Maintain present course,_" Sir William repeated, his voice stone cold.

"Ye-yes sir," the pilots said reluctantly. Sir William returned to his seat.

"What if the Marshal is right?" Minnie asked.

"He's just trying to help his star witch. We are not in danger." Lynne scowled from her seat, but said nothing.

However, Sir William was wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

**STRIKE WITCHES: HEROS' RETURN: LYNETTE'S STORY**

**Chapter Four**

"Unknown aircraft on our six! Distance five thousand!" the pilot said. Sure enough, a group of three Neuroi were on their tail, closing in fast.

_We're sitting ducks out here,_ Lynne thought. She got up and went to the cargo hold, looking for anything that she could use. Then she remembered that Drake had insisted that some of the base's rations were to be stocked. _Why would he have rations from the base boarded on the plane? We already had enough,_ Lynne thought. In the middle of the cargo hold, something big was covered by a heavy tarp. She pulled it off to find... her striker unit and rifle.

_Drake must have seen this coming,_ Lynne thought. Realizing what she must do, she pressed the button for the lift. She then jumped into her striker as the unit rose up.

"Lynette, what's going on back there?" Sir William said. He went into the hold just in time to see Lynne take off and fly away. "LYNETTE!" Sir William shouted, a mix of fury and worry in his voice.

"_I_ will protect _you_, Father," Lynne said. She flew behind the transport, keeping her eye on the Neuroi. When they came into range, Lynne fired off several shots. The Neuroi squealed, but instead of retreating, they divided into over a thousand drones. "This is not good," Lynne said to herself. She then spoke to the pilots through the radio.

"Get out of here! I'll cover your retreat, now go! That's a direct order!" she said. In response, the transport dived toward the sea to shake off the Neuroi.

_So many... I hope this works,_ Lynne thought, training her rifle on a particularly large group of drones. She rapid-fired over a dozen rounds at the Neuroi, willing her magic to guide them each to their target. Her magic did not fail her, and each drone exploded in a shower of white sparks. Growing more confident, she continued to fire round after round at the drones. However, no matter how fast she fired, there were always two more to replace one she destroyed. Within several minutes, she was out of ammunition. Forced to focus solely on using her shield to block attacks, she ordered the plane to land, which gave her less space needed to guard. They skimmed across the water, desperate to fend off the attacking enemy.

* * *

"LYYYYNNNNEEEE!" Yoshika shouted, streaking through the sky faster than the speed of sound. Though it put great strain on her and her striker, her adrenaline boosted her magic, allowing her to cover thousands of miles in a mere twelve hours. She made a beeline to Florida, having heard from the night ground crew that Lynne and her family should be there by now. She had been spotted by the Neuroi several times, but even their fastest models were left in the dust.

_I'm coming Lynne,_ Yoshika thought as she passed over the coast and over the Atlantic. Without warning her earpiece crackled to life. It was Drake.

"Where the hell are you!?" he snapped. Thought the connection was full of static, Yoshika heard him clearly enough.

"I'm over Florida. Miami, I think," she replied.

"YOU'RE WHERE?! Damn girl, have you been flying nonstop? Bah, never mind, this is actually a good thing. The transport Lynne and her family are on has attracted a whole group of Neuroi. We've lost contact with them, but Lynne should be holding the enemy off. I snuck her striker unit and her rifle in the hold, she probably found it by now. They should be north of your position, about a hundred miles away. Help Lynne hold off the enemy until the cavalry arrives. Godspeed Yoshika," Drake said.

"Thanks. I'm off!" Yoshika said, putting all her energy into speed. A sonic boom blasted the water below as she shot north toward her damsel in distress.

* * *

Though this damsel in question wasn't precisely distressed at that moment, she was in trouble. Although Lynne had blocked the worst of the beams, the transport was already peppered with holes, and had come to a complete stop. It wouldn't be long before it would sink to the bottom of the sea. The Neuroi got more aggressive, as if they smelled blood. Some of them got reckless and got too close, falling victim to the pilots who were armed with pistols. But soon they were out of ammo too, and were forced to abandon the plane. Lynne's parents were trapped inside the doomed aircraft. Every time Lynne made an attempt to rescue them, she was forced to shield herself against the drones' attacks.

_We're... we're not gonna make it..._ Lynne thought, growing tired. Her magic was almost used up. Suddenly, she heard a sonic boom. In the blink of an eye, something shot toward the Neuroi and bashed through them. The Neuroi that were caught in the path of this strange missile were instantly destroyed. The missile made a long curve upward, and dived again at the Neuroi. This time though, it shot bullets at the drones, destroying several more dozen.

_What kind of missile shoots bullets?_ Lynne thought. Then she got a good look at it. Or rather, _her_.

"YOSHIKA!" Lynne shouted. She was beyond happy to see her girlfriend coming to her rescue. Yoshika however, was too infuriated at the Neuroi to reply.

"How dare you try to hurt MY LYNNE!" Yoshika shouted, spraying bullets at the Neuroi in front of her. With the enemy temporarily distracted, Lynne tried to free her parents. However, all the doors were submerged, and impossible to open. Thinking quickly, she signaled to her parents to stick to a wall. She then tuned her earpiece to Yoshika's.

"Yoshika! My parents are trapped inside! I need your help," she said. Yoshika quickly understood, and flying next to Lynne, fired her gun at the canopy of the plane. The bullets tore through the skin of the plane. She then flipped her gun over and used the butt end of it to smash in the ceiling. Lynne's parents quickly got out. With them not in danger of drowning, Lynne and Yoshika did their best to shield Lynne's parents and the pilots from the Neuroi.

Suddenly, a drone flew in front of Lynne without warning, and fired. Time slowed down as Lynne saw the beam fly towards her chest. But it never made it there... for someone got in the way.

"Ahhh!" Yoshika screamed as the beam burned her chest. She fell against Lynne, who kept her from falling. "YOSHIKA!" Lynne cried out. Yoshika groaned in pain. "That hurt." The Neuroi charged up to fire again... and exploded.

"Huh?" Lynne and Yoshika said. Several more dozen Neuroi exploded too, then all of them exploded in such a flurry of white fragments, it looked like it was snowing.

"Wha- what happened?" Yoshika asked weakly.

"Don't try to talk, just relax. We'll make sure you get better," Lynne said, her voiced laced with worry.

"Everything will be okay Sergeant, we'll get those wounds healed back at the Cape," an unfamiliar voice said. Lynne looked up to see a witch in blue strikers flying in front of her. Behind her was a group of over ten witches, each holding a rifle. "So you were reason they exploded," Lynne said. The lead witch nodded.

"Name's Georgia Boyington, Colonel of the Marine Attack Squadron 214. We can finish introductions later, first we must get all of you back to the Cape," Georgia said.

* * *

Georgia's witches carried the two pilots and Lynne's parents, while Lynne held Yoshika close to her, not willing to be parted. She ignored her parents throughout the whole trip. Even when they made it to the Cape and brought Yoshika to the hospital wing, she would not talk to them. All she cared about was seeing Yoshika healed. Fortunately there was a medical witch on staff, and she healed Yoshika's wounds quickly. The Fuso witch's eyes slowly opened.

"We're okay Yoshika. We're safe," Lynne said, before Yoshika could panic.

"I thought I would never see you again," Yoshika said, hurt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I should have stood up to my father in the first place, not waited until it was too late. Can you ever forgive me?" Lynne replied.

"Of course Lynne, why wouldn't I? I could never hate you, silly," Yoshika said, holding Lynne close. They both cried, from being apart for any time at all, and for having been united again. Lynne stayed by Yoshika's side throughout the night, falling asleep in the chair next to her. That morning as she and Yoshika were eating breakfast, her parents walked in, causing Lynne to tense up. She stood protectively in front of Yoshika in a way that was so unlike her usual shy and submissive self.

_She's changed,_ Yoshika thought.

"If you are even _thinking_ of separating us again, forget it!" Lynne said fiercely. Even a dim-witted fool would see that she meant business.

"I-" Sir William began.

"NO! You're not taking me away from her!" Lynne yelled. Minnie stepped forward. "Lynne dear," she said softly. Lynne didn't back away, but didn't yell at her mother either.

"What?" Lynne said evenly, barely keeping her temper in check. Her grip on Yoshika's hand tightened.

"It's okay honey. We're not going to separate you. Right dear?" she said, pointing her question at her husband. Sir William nervously cleared his throat.

"You're mother and I have thought long and hard, and we've come to an agreement. Yoshika here put her life on the line to protect you, and helped save us, even after all we have done. In light of that, we are willing to let you stay with the 501st," he said, almost reluctantly. Lynne and Yoshika's eyes lit up at his words.

"Do you really mean that?!" Lynne asked. Sir William nodded.

"Yoshika, you can remain with my daughter. However, do not assume I'm also giving you my daughter's hand in marriage. Yet, anyway," he said.

"Thank you sir," Yoshika said, beaming. Just then Colonel Georgia walked in. "We just received a telegram from Drake Holt at Pear Harbor. It says 'I have received word from the Prime Minister of Britannia that Lynette Bishop is to remain at her post in Pearl Harbor, and she is to remain among the ranks of the 501st. Furthermore, Sir William Bishop and Lady Minnie Bishop are to remain with the 214th in Florida until it is deemed safe to return to Britannia. That is all from the Prime Minister. _My_ orders are for Flight Sergeant Miyafuji and Warrant Officer Bishop to return to Pearl Harbor at their convenience. That is all," she said. Sir William balked at this.

"But we have pressing business to attend to at Britannia!" he protested. Georgia did not budge. "Orders are orders, sir. With the increased Neuroi activity, it's much too dangerous to travel. Besides, after your little stunt out there, the top brass doesn't have much faith in you anymore," she replied. Sir William grimaced, but otherwise said nothing. Lynne held Yoshika close, at peace once more. Yoshika's head rested on her shoulder, and they embraced.

Later that day, the doctors announced that Yoshika had fully recovered. Lynne said her goodbyes to her parents, and thanked Georgia and her squad for their help. Then she and Yoshika mounted their strikers and flew off into the sky, leisurely making their way back home.

* * *

Several days later, Yoshika and Lynne returned to Pearl Harbor. They made their way to Drake's office and knocked on his door. "Come in," Drake said. They opened the door to see Drake filing through a stack of papers.

"I hate paperwork. Just when you think you are done, you have to start all over again," he said. He then looked up.

"Welcome back you two. I was beginning to worry you had lost your way. I assume you are here to stay Lynne?" Drake said warmly. Lynne nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good. Yoshika, come here." Yoshika stepped forward. Drake rolled up a few pages... and smacked Yoshika upside the head with them.

"Ow! What was that for?" she asked, rubbing her head, not out of pain but surprise.

"_That _was for going AWOL. Normally you'd be court-marshaled, but thanks to me you won't have to go through that. I commend you on your bravery though. Taking on three Neuroi with only one other witch on your side - while reckless - takes guts. Thanks to you Lynne, her parents, and the pilots that flew the transport are alive," Drake said.

"Thank you sir," Yoshika said. Drake nodded. "Now, it's late. I suggest you both head to your room and call it a night. I'm sure Emily will be happy to see you both," he said. Lynne and Yoshika thanked him, and excusing themselves, quietly ran to their bedroom. Emily was there waiting for them.

"Glad to have you two in one piece. Or two pieces... or... oh whatever! Just come here," she said, embracing them. The trio got into their respective beds and were soon fast asleep. Emily being exhausted from training, and Lynne and Yoshika from flying all day.

* * *

Drake walked out to look at the night sky, finding a rare moment of peace and quiet.

_I'm glad Lynne is back, _he thought. _I need everyone of the 501__st__ to make my plan work. And frankly, it's good to see those two together again. _Looking up at the night sky, he watched as a meteor shower began. They streaked across the sky in whites and pale yellows, helping the stars illuminate the sky. Suddenly, something odd caught Drake's eye. A meteor flashed across his field of view. Its tail was unnaturally long, and instead of white, it was a blood red. Drake squinted to get a better view, but strange meteor was long gone.

"Hm... I hope I'm wrong. But I think soon enough, Shirley is going to meet her match..."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


End file.
